


The World Beyond

by PhantomRoxas



Category: Digimon - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-07
Updated: 2019-05-07
Packaged: 2020-01-06 15:18:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18391019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhantomRoxas/pseuds/PhantomRoxas
Summary: When the Demon Lords attack, the Digital World is in need of a hero that could turn the tide.





	The World Beyond

Strabimon ran as fast as he could, clutching the device close to his chest. The roof of the dome was just in sight, and there was only silence behind him. The dome was mostly just for show, however. The real destination was the underground shrine that laid beneath. As long as he could get there, he would be safe. Probably. It helped that no one was following him. For now, at least.

He turned the device in his hand. It was blue and rectangular, with a screen across the surface. It felt so fragile, he was sure it would break the instant he dropped it. It was difficult to believe that everything was supposed to depend on this, but Lord Gallantmon had insisted. It was a gamble, but one that they had to make.

The sounds of thunder and fire roared behind him, but they were far enough away that Strabimon would still be safe for another a few minutes. But only a few. Even Lord Gallantmon would only be able to hold the line for so long. It would have to be enough. As soon as he began to approach the shrine, two knights in large silver armor guarded a door. Before Strabimon could explain himself, they had already drawn their swords. Strabimon held up the device for them to see. “Lord Gallantmon sent me! Please, I have to get through.” The knights did not lower their swords, though one of them reached for something next to him. Whatever it was, Strabimon kept dashing towards them. “What are you waiting for?!”

Without a word, the two knights raced towards Strabimon. He stopped, but one of the knights snarled. “No, get out of the way!” Before Strabimon could react, the knights brought their swords down, and Strabimon could only hear screams. His body started shaking as he looked behind him. Several bat-like creatures, whose heads were as big as their whole bodies, were being cut down one by one by the knights. Without sparing another moment on their fallen enemies, the knights dug their heels into the dirt, waiting for another wave.

“Thank you,” said Strabimon. How could he let so many of them sneak up on him like that?

“There’s no time,” one of the knights snapped. “What was it you asked; ‘What are you waiting for?’”

“Right,” Strabimon conceded. He checked the device again. It was still intact. Leaving the knights to their next fight, Strabimon ran up to the door. Before he could knock, it was already opened. Another knight, probably a good foot shorter than Strabimon, was waiting inside. A pair of horns poked out from his helmet that obscure his face behind shadow, save for two bright yellow eyes. His sleeves seemed far too long for his arms, but he beckoned Strabimon to follow him, and Strabimon shut the door behind himself.

“Come on, come on, come on!” The little knight panicked as he grabbed Strabimon and pulled him further into the shrine. The walls were a dark gray, barely lit by torchlight, but it was good enough for Strabimon to see where he was going. The knight had a surprisingly strong grip, but he was also a little too slow. Even still, Strabimon couldn’t afford to run off on his own. He only had what Lord Gallantmon told him, and even that only got him through the front door. He had no idea where exactly in the shrine he was supposed to go, so he let the knight lead.

“We’ll be safe from the Demon Lords in here?” Strabimon asked, though he already knew the answer.

“No,” the knight said bluntly. No surprise there.

Strabimon could feel the knight’s hand shaking. “Strabimon,” he introduced himself. “What’s your name?”

“Kotemon,” the knightly whimpered. “Not that our names will mean much if we don’t get you and the Digivice to the gate.” The gate to the human world. This shrine was designed to protect the gate, and the knights were supposed to protect the shrine. And now Strabimon needed to use that gate.

As Kotemon turned a corner, a wall exploded right in front of them. An older demon slowly walked stepped over the rubble. He wore a golden mask with a long, pointed nose, and his beard was nearly as long as his robes. He had six red wings, and carried a scepter adorned with a skull, which gripped a red orb in its fangs.

“There you are,” the demon smiled. “I believe you have a present for me.”

Kotemon drew a wooden sword, but his knees were shaking. “Run, Strabimon! I’ll hold him off.”

The demon raised an eyebrow. “Really? If you think you look brave, then I am almost embarrassed for you.” He pointed his scepter at Kotemon. “Do not waste my time.” Strabimon pulled Kotemon into the nearest hallway as the scepter shot a bolt of red lightning at them. “Don’t worry, little pup! You get to live as long as you hand me the Digivice. I have no need for some page boy.”

“This way,” Kotemon whispered, pointing forward, but before he and Strabimon could even regain their footing, the demon was already chasing them.

“Get back here!” he bellowed as he charged more lightning. Before he could release the attack, however, he was thrown forward as a beam of light suddenly struck him from behind.

“Barbamon,” a voice called. Strabimon and Kotemon looked back to see another silver knight, though this one had gold and red trims in his armor, and his helmet resembled the face of a dragon. He carried a lance in one hand, and a shield in the other. Before the demon, Barbamon, could stand, the knight lunged forward with his lance. At the wave of a hand, Barbamon surrounded himself with scarlet flames. The knight pulled back from his charge, choosing instead to block the flames with his shield.

“Gallantmon,” Barbamon sneered. “I wasn’t expecting you to come here. But I can’t say I’m upset. It would have been so much more disappointing if you had left everything to your errand boy.”

Gallantmon said nothing, instead swinging his shield towards Barbamon. Barbamon summoned more flames, but the shield scattered all of them. Gallantmon pushed forward, managing to pierce Barbamon’s shoulder. Barbamon screamed in pain, and Gallantmon shot a glance at Strabimon and Kotemon. “I will take care of him. Both of you, head to the gate!”

Without another word, Strabimon and Kotemon ran to a nearby staircase. After taking more turns than Strabimon cared to count, Kotemon seemed to find his sense of urgency, and was running nearly as fast as Strabimon. “We’re almost there,” he reassured Strabimon.

“How can you be sure?” asked Strabimon.

“The knights here have to memorize the layout this place from top to bottom,” said Kotemon. “There’s still a chance Barbamon could blast through the walls like before-” And indeed, as soon as he had said that, they heard another explosion, but this one was more muffled. “Lord Gallantmon will hold him off,” Kotemon sighed. “But you still need to get to the human world. If we can bring even one human to us, we might finally stand a chance.”

 _Hold him off_ didn’t sound nearly as confident as Strabimon had hoped for. If Kotemon was keeping his expectations in check, then Strabimon wanted to correct him, but Strabimon couldn’t think of an alternative that he had any more confidence in himself. What would we even be the point in getting to the gate if Gallantmon could defeat Barbamon all by himself? Why would they need any human?

Following yet another explosion, Strabimon and Kotemon barely managed to avoid Barbamon’s next bolt of lightning. Suddenly, the floor started to feel warm. Then warmer. Soon, Strabimon could barely stand anywhere with his feet nearly catching fire. Picking up Kotemon, Strabimon jumped several feet forward, touching the floor only long enough to take the next leap.

“Where to?” Strabimon asked. At another intersection, Kotemon pointed to the left, and Strabimon followed, but a red circle started to appear along the floor ahead of them. Strabimon jumped across the circle as lava began to bubble from the circle. Once he reached the other side, all he could see was a melting floor behind him, and a solid wall ahead. “Dead end.”

“Not yet,” said Kotemon. “Let me see the Digivice.”

Without any other options, Strabimon handed over the Digivice. Kotemon held it up to the wall and pressed something on the side of the Digivice. A crack formed in the wall, and Strabimon could see some light through the crack. The entire shrine shook and rumbled, as the wall began to split in two and pull back. A secret door.

As Strabimon and Kotemon ran inside, the floor had melted completely, and Barbamon burst through the floor. Lava dripped over him, but it didn’t seem to faze him, let alone burn his robes. He shrugged off the lava, and aimed his scepter at them. “That’s far enough, errand boy.”

Kotemon passed the Digivice back on Strabimon. “You’ll know what to do.” Kotemon ran to the left, while Strabimon ran to the right, as the doors started to close behind them automatically. Barbamon charged at the door, but he was pulled back. Gallantmon bashed his shield against Barbamon’s face, knocking the Demon Lord to the side. Gallantmon nearly ran his lance through Barbamon’s face, but once the Demon Lord raised both of his hands, Gallantmon froze in place. Gallantmon struggled to move, but it was worthless. By the time Barbamon turned back to the door, it was already shut. There was only the plain wall.

On the other side, Strabimon could see the wall start to melt. “Strabimon!” Gallantmon cried out from the other side. “Finish your mission, before it’s too late!”

“But what about you?” Strabimon looked to his side. At the center of the room stood a pedestal with a monitor, displaying the image of a planet. Strabimon couldn’t recognize the planet, but he understood what it was meant to show. The human world. Earth. “What am I supposed to do?”

“Shut up!” Barbamon snapped. The heat stopped spreading across the door, and Strabimon could hear more lightning, banging, slashing, and tearing. Gallantmon was still fighting, and all Strabimon could do was listen.

“Just press the button on the side, and hold the Digivice to the screen,” Kotemon explained, tapping Strabimon on the shoulder so he would focus. “It will take you to your destination, wherever that may be.”

Strabimon raised an eyebrow. “And that would be…?”

Kotemon shrugged. That was not a good sign. “Please understand, we had to make this arrangement on short notice,” Kotemon elaborated. “Lord Gallantmon recommended you, but humans are still unknown to us. All we know is that the Digivice, in the hands of a human, will-” Gallantmon and Barbamon kept screaming behind the door. “Please, make haste.”

Strabimon took the Digivice, and did as Kotemon explained. The monitor began to glow, and Strabimon felt his entire body being pulled. He was still hoping that Lord Gallantmon could defeat Barbamon, but if even he could not, then there there was no way Kotemon could survive.

Strabimon offered a hand, even as the pedestal was sucking him in, preparing to send him to Earth. “Come with me,” he said. “You and I, we can work together and find someone capable of helping all of us. I need your help to save the world!”

Kotemon shook his head. “I appreciate the offer, but only one of us can make the trip. That's why Lord Gallantmon is counting on you. We all are.”

Strabimon reached out to grab Kotemon. “I wasn’t asking-” Before he could say anything more, Strabimon vanished.

Kotemon listened to the distant sounds of Gallantmon and Barbamon’s battle. He sat down, looking up at the monitor. “I hope you make the right choice, Strabimon.”


End file.
